The Early History of the Deccan (Parts I–XI) v2.c15.s3.t9.26

v2.c15.s3.t9.26

Śaivism was the predominant faith during the Kākatīya period. Its origin is lost in antiquity. There are references to Rudraśiva in the *Vedas*. He was the same as the Paśupati or Śiva of later times. The three fundamental concepts of Śaivism are Pati, Paśu, and Pāśa. Pati was Śiva himself, Lord of the Paśus, the creatures who are bound by the Pāśas or fetters. Śiva was the Supreme Lord of the Universe and the ultimate reality. The Pāśupata system is said to have been revealed by the Lord Śiva to his *śishyas* or disciples, in whom he himself, as the supreme teacher of the Universe, was incarnated. The *Śiva Purāṇa* and the *Kūrma Purāṇa* furnish a list of twenty-eight *avatāras* of Śiva called *yōgāchāryas*, the first of these being the great *guru* Śvētāchārya and the last Lakulīśa or Nakulīśa. Each of these *āchāryas* had four devotees and hence the total number of the original disciples who followed the *yōgāchāra* school was 112. Lakulīśa, the last and the twenty-eighth *yōgāchārya*, came to spread spiritual knowledge in this *Kaliyuga*. By the efforts of these *yōgāchāryas* and their followers Śaivism had become and remained the outstanding form of belief in the country from ancient times onwards. Out of the eighteen *Purāṇas* no less than ten were dedicated to Śiva.